Who is a Hoo Hoo?

Dear Henry,

Occasionally, you stumble across something that instantly grabs your attention.

For example, a secret society called The International Concatenated Order of the Hoo-Hoo, Incorporated grabbed my attention,n and I just had to ask, Who is a Hoo-Hoo?

The term Hoo-Hoo was created by B. Arthur Johnson, an editor for the Timberman. He used the term to describe a single bit of hair, twisted and oiled to a point on top of the (mostly) bald head of Charles McCarer.

The term then spread throughout the lumber industry to describe anything weird and unusual.

B. Arthur Johnson, William Eddy Barnes, George Washington Schwartz, A Strauss, George Kimball Smith, and William Starr Mitchell would later use the term to create a "secret" society in 1892.

The Concatenated Order of the Hoo-Hoo was established in Gurdon, Arkansas, with the purpose of fostering the health, happiness, and long life of its members. The order has, from the beginning, embraced the unusual, taking names and imagery from Lewis Carrol's "The Hunting of the Snark".
Its membership is open to anyone 18 years and older and who works within the lumber and forestry industries.  There are currently over 100,000 members across the world.

I need to take a road trip down to the order's museum and monument in Gurdon, Arkansas.  Stay tuned for pictures.

xoxo a.d.

****** *********************************

a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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Location: Bella Vista, AR, USA

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